Registering device for talking machines



P. F'ARB REGISTERING DEVICE FOR TALKING MACHINEG Original Filed July 22, 1918 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 riL Q Ar Dec. 1, 1925 P. FARB REGISTERING DEVICE FOR TALKING MACHINES Original Filed July 1918 2 heets-Sheet 2 spring of a talking machine motor is llldl- Patented Dec. 1, 11925.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PINCUS FARB, OF SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS. TO SONORA PHONOG-RAPH COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

REGISTERING DEVICE FOR TALKING MACHINES.

Application filed July 22, 1918, Serial' No. 246,161.

To all whom it may concern: v Be it known that I,PINCUS FARB, a citizen of the United'S-tates, and a resident of the city of Saginaw, county of Saginaw, and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Registering Devicefor Talking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices by means of which the amount of energy'in the power cated at any given time while the spring is under tension, and to indicate the number of recordswhich may be played before the power of the motor is exhausted.

The objects of my invention are to provide a device by means of which the operatormay tell at a, glance the amount of energy in the power spring, which will be small and inconspicuous, will not easily get out of order, and which will not detractfrom the appearance of even the most ornate talking ma-- chine.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means. of the character described, which are extremely simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in its purpose and operation and inexpensive and economical to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view to be more fully set forth hereinafter, the invention consists in the novel construction,

The invention ,will be first connection with the accompanying drawcombination of elements, and arrangement of par-tswhich will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described inthe specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings considered together or separately.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical eXpressions, one of which for the purpose of illustrating the invention, is shown in the accompanying drawings. 7

described in ings illustrating one embodiment ofmy invention, whereln similar reference characters, areaused to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then more specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

'Each RenewedSe ptember 12, 19 25;

In the drawhigsa, j I Fig. 1 s a top plan view of a talking machine motor provided with my invention, the

motor board which supports the register and motor being removed.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, the motor being shown and Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation showing the brake for arresting the unwinding of the power spring before the same reaches, the condition of ultimate unwinding.

The motor comprises a frame 1 which carries a spring shaft 2 on which one or more spring drums 3, 3 is or are mounted. drum carries a coil spring (not shown). To the inner convolution of the spring in drum 3, is attached aspur gear 4 carried on the shaft 2. The gear 4 meshes with a pinion 5 on a shaft 6 to which awinding crank (not shown) may be applied, and

in full lines;

by means of which the springs in both drums may be placed undertension.

The outer convolution of the springin the drum 3 is attached to the drum;which in turn carries a spur gear 7. The gear 7 meshes with a pinion 8 ona shaft 9 which carries a spur gear 10 in mesh with a pinion 11 on a shaft 12. The shaft 12 carries a bevel gear 13 which meshes with a bevel pinion 14 on the turn-table shaft 15 which projects vertically through the top of the frame 1. and through a motor board 16 which extends 7 across the cabinet (not shown), and encloses the top of the motor.

The turn-table shaft carries a worm wheel 17 which engages and drives a worm 18 on a governor shaft 19. The shaft 19 carries the usual governor 20 having a brake disc 21.

The winding shaft 6 carries a ratchet wheel 22 with which a pawl 23 engages to prevent backward movement of the shaft I throughthe tendency of the power spring to wise direction to wind the spring, the lever 2 1 will move with the shaft due to the frictional engagement until its movement is arrested by a stop 29. This movement will raise the pawl from the ratchet teeth. ,The lever 24 will operate a lever which will apply a brake 31 to the disc 21 which will prevent unwinding of the spring during the winding operation. 1

A pinion 32 on the shaft 6 meshes with a spur gear 33 on a shaft 3 1, which is threaded at 35. A nut 36 engages the threads and carries a gear wheel 37 in mesh with a long-faced pinion 33 on a shaft 39 on which is mounted a pinion 10 in mesh with the spur gear 7. The nut 36 has a peripheral groove in which rests the jaws 41 of a slide 12 mounted in a' guide 13 on top of the frame. A lever 44: is held in engagement with the slide by means of a spring. The opposite end of the lever a4 is attached by means of a pitman 45, to. one arm of a bell crank 46, the other arm of which is adapted to be moved into the path of the teeth of the ratchet 22. An arm a7 on the pitman 15 lies in the path of the'lever 2 1.

During the winding operation, the pinion 1 32 will drive the gear 33 and screw 35. The

nut 36 will be held against rotation by the brake 31 which prevents unwinding of the power spring, and the nut will therefore be moved along the screw by the rotation of the latter. The nut in its movement longi- 'tudinally of the screw will move a slide 48 carried in ways 49. A rack on the slide will swing a lever 50 pivoted to a member 50 surroundingthe turntable shaft 15 by the engagement of a segmental rack on the lever.

The member 5O has a downwardly PIO]QCting portion which acts as a bearing or support for the lever 50, and prevents the lever [50 from bearing against the turn-table shaft,

and by reason of such projection, friction and undue wear is eliminated at this point on the turn-table shaft. The opposite end of the lever carries a pin 51 which en= gages a slot 52 in a lever 53 pivoted. at 54 to a plate 55 supported from the motor board. The opposite end of the lever 53 carries a toothed segment 56 which engages a pinion 57, which in turn drives'a. spur *gear 58 mounted on a shaft 59 which carries a pointer 59 co operating with two scales 60 and 61 on a dial 62., The dial is carried in a frame 63 which is secured to the under side of the motor board and projects through the same, and is surrounded by a bezel which carries a transparent covering for thepointer.-

The scales 60 and 61 are differently graduated; The scale 60 is marked for 12 inch records and has less graduations than has the scale 61. which is marked for 10 inch records.

When the parts are in the position shown has been wound at any moment during the operation, and willindicate the number of records which may be played without rewinding. 4

Pivoted at one end of the frame 1 is a lever 64, one end of which carries a link 65 having at one end a slot 66, theouter end of which engages a pin in the lever 50. The opposite end of the lever 641 carries a roller 67 which is adapted to engage a cam 68 on a lever 69 pivoted at 70 to one side of the frame. The opposite end of the lever 69 carries a brake shoe 7 0 adapted to engage the disc 21. With the parts in'the position shown, the spring 71 of thelever 50 has pulled the lever 64' to release the cam 68 from the roller 67 and the brake 70 is applied.

hen the winding operation starts, the pin in the lever 50 will move in the slot 66, and tlie'spring T1 will cause the roller 67 to engage the cam 63, depress that end of the lever 69, and release the brake 7 0, but the power spring will still be prevented from unwinding by the brake 31 on the disc 21.

As the winding operation proceeds and the nut 36 moves along the screw, the slide 12 will move with it. When the end of the slide reaches the lever 44, the spring 72' will depress that end of the lever, raise the pit man 45, and throw the free arm of the bell crank 16 into engagement with the ratchet teeth and prevent further winding of the spring. This will occur before the spring has been wound to its ultimate tension.

When the winding crank is released, the tendency} of the power spring will be to rotate the shaft 6 backwards. The first movement in this direction will depress the lever 24 and throw the pawl 23 into engage ment with the teeth of the ratchet and ar rest such movement. At the same time, the end of the lever 24 will engage the arm 47, move the pitman 15 downward, raise the end of the lever 4% against the spring 72 and release the bell crank from the ratchet teeth. The movement, of the lever 24: will release the brake 31 and the motor will be free to run.

It will be understood that the motor is provided with the usual hand operated brake tostart and stop the operation at the pleasure of the operator. V

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statute, I have described the principle of my invention together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the'best embodiment thereof, but I desire it understood that my invention is not confined to I the particular form of apparatus herein shown'and described, the same being merely from the spirit of my invention, and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrunientalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which objects of my invention are attained, and the new results accomplished, as herein set forth, as it is obvious that the particular embodiment herein shown and escribed is only one of many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

Having now described my invention, what claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. In a registering device for talking machines, the combination with a spring 1notor, having a member movable rectilinearly as the spring is wound and unwound, a slide engaging said member, a lever co-operating with the slide, a second lev-er having a lost motion pin and slot connection with the first lever, a dial having a scale thereon, a pointer co-operating with the dial, and connections between said second lever and pointer for indicating on the scale the number of records capable of being played by the motor without rewinding the spring at any time during the movement of the slide.

2. The combination with record carrier and means for rotating it, of means for in dicating the extent to which the record carrier has been rotated, and including connecting levers operated by the record carrier rotating means and in turn operating the indicator, said levers being pivoted intermediate their ends.

8. In a registering device chines, the combination with a spring motor for talking machines, having a slide movable as the spring is wound and unwound, a rack 011 the slid-e, a lever pivoted to the frame of the motor, a spring for moving the lever in one direction, means cooperating with the winding mechanism for moving the lever in the opposite direction, a segmental rack on the lever engaging the rack on the slide, a pin on thelever, a second lever, said second lever having a slot engaging the pin, a segmental rack on the second lever, said rack engaging a pinion, a gear in mesh with the pinion, a pointer carried by the gear, a relafor talking matively small dial with which the pointerco-operates, said dial carrying concentric scales, One of said scales being marked for records of one size, and the other scale being marked for records of another size, whereby as the slide is moved on the winding or unwinding of the spring, the pointer will indicate the number of records of both sizeswhich may be played from that position of the slide without rewinding the spring. I

4. In a registering device for talking machines, the combinationwith a spring motor for talking machine's, movable as the spring is wound and unwound, a rack on the slide, a lever pivoted to the frame of the motor, a spring'for moving the lever in one direction, means co-opcrating with the winding mechanism for moving the lever in the opposite direction, a segmental rack 011 the lever engaging the rack on the slide, a pin on the lever, a second lever, said second lever having a slot engaging the pin, a segmental rack on the second lever, and indicating means operated by said last-named rack.

5. In a registering device for talking machines, the combination with a spring motor, having means for winding the spring, means for indicating the number of records which may be played without rewinding the spring, and means controlled by the indicating means for preventing winding of the spring to its ultimate tension.

6. In a registering device for talking machines, the combination with a spring motor, having means for winding the spring, means for preventing winding of the spring to its ultimate tension, means for preventing unwinding of the spring beyond a pre--' determined point short of complete unwinding, and means for indicating the number of records which may be played without rewinding the spring.

7. In a registering device for talking machines, the combination with a spring motor, having means for winding the spring, a turn-table shaft, a scale, connections between the motor and the scale whereby the number of records the motor is capable of playing without rewinding is indicated on said scale, said connection comprising a lever pivoted about the turntable shaft, and means for preventing undue wear and elimination of friction on the turn-table shaft caused by the operation of the scale mechanism.

8. In a registering device for talking machines, the combination with a spring motor, having means for winding the same, a turntable shaft, means for preventing winding of the spring to its ultimate tension, means for indicating the number of records which may be played Without rewinding the spring, comprising a lever pivoted about the turntable shaft and means co-opera'ting with the turn-table shaft for preventing undue wear and eliminating friction thereon.

9. The combination with a record carrier and means for roating it, of means for indi cating the extent to which the record carrier has been rotated, said means comprishaving a slide the spring is wound, a dial having a scale 10 thereon, a pointer cooperating with the dial, connections between said slide and said pointer, and resilient means for moving said slide in the opposite direction as the spring is unwound.

This specification signed this 15th day of July, 1918.-

PINCUS FARE. 

